NBC Launches Program Focusing on Hiring Female Directors

Inclusiveness behind the camera and the in front of the camera has always been important. So, it’s no surprise that it continues to be a big portion of the executive question and answer session at the summer Television Critics Association press tour. NBC announced Thursday that they are making efforts to bring more inclusiveness behind the camera with “Female Forward.”

NBC announced Thursday that they are making efforts to bring more inclusiveness behind the camera with “Female Forward.”

The initiative will focus on female directors and working towards gender parity in terms of directors among all of the network’s scripted series. The program will be led by NBC President Jennifer Salke who will be partnering with director Lesli Linka Glatter. “Female Forward” will offer 10 female directors the chance to shadow an NBC series for up to three episodes. These directors will ultimately be given an in-season commitment to direct at least one episode of the show they shadow.

“It’s been a collective and urgent goal of ours to identify more female directors. We strongly believe women can and should be at the forefront of telling compelling stories, and I hope the guaranteed directing component will have real impact on our shows as well as the industry,” said Salke. “It’s an honor to have a partner and advocate in the amazing Lesli Linka Glatter, who shares these ideals with us and has passionately acted as a mentor to other women throughout her career. In addition to Lesli, we are thrilled with the enthusiastic response to this initiative, not only from our own Universal Television studio and producing partners, but also from outside suppliers and showrunners.”

“Female Forward” is set to continue building on their current program dedicated to increasing diverse representation of television directors.

“It shouldn’t be harder for our daughters to direct than for our sons. It should be an equal playing field,” said Linka Glatter. “I’m truly optimistic that with this kind of commitment from the incredible Jen Salke and NBC Entertainment, we can actually make a difference. A program like this is a game changer and it’s an honor to be a part of it.”

“Female Forward” will begin with the 2018-19 season on 10 NBC series with the intent of expanding the number of directors and shows in subsequent years.

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Law student by day (and night), Brianna spends her time away from books, briefs, and outlines watching TV and writing about it at TwoCentsTV, TheTVAddict, and now here at FanFest. Superheroes and a crime-fighting zombie currently rule her DVR. All other nerdy musings 140 characters or fewer at @WhenWatchingTV